Marker or tag



March 21, 1933. c] E MSO 1,902,531

MARKER on TAG Filed Sept. 19, 1932 Patented Mar. 21, 1 933 UNITED. STATES PAT'E NrfoFFi ca cnmns E. TIMSON, or oI-I ICAGO, :i nINoIs, 14 5 m T WILLIAJD'II: ooornnie NEPHEWS'INCORPORATED, o1 orrrcneo, ILLENOIS, AooRroR ArIonoF ILLnIoIs MARKER on. I TAG Application filedseptember 19,1932. Serial No. 633,803; a

The present invention relates V to, markers.

:or tags which are permanently. sealed and applied to articles and things, and which, when applied, offer no uneven. or projecting i portions to catch some objects thus making the same subject to accidental removal. The

invention further contemplates the provision of markeror tag so. constructed that when. once applied, it cannot be removed without breaking some part of thetag.

The invention has been herein, illustrated and described in connection withjmarkers or tags for attachment to animals, but it is susceptible for attachment to articles or things of inanimate as well asanimate nature. The present invention relates tofa marker or tag which ay be rapidly and easily attached byanyone, and so, constructed that it cannot be removed without being broken.

The invention is of the type comprising a strip of metalto formtwo arms, the endof one of which is fashioned: to provide a pointed part andthe other end of which is provided with an aperture or-recess through clinched for permanently connecting together the ends ofthe strip in a manner to prevent removal without breakage.

An object of the present invention is to provide a marker or tag which will cut its own holev so that it maybe applied and fastened permanently in position by asingle operation and so interlocked that it cannot be removed without breaking some part of the ta 1 another object of thein-vention is to provide a self-cutting marker or tag which is permanently sealed against fraudulent or accidental removal. V

A yet further object of the inventionis to provide a marker or tag ofisimpleconstruction which can be economically manufactured in quantity lots and readily applied in permanent position with minimum effort.

A still further object of theinvention is to provide a. marker or tag which may be easilyapplied to an article vto be marked and when so applied cannot beremoved without breaking some part of the tag. 1

The above, other and further objects of desired to have such thingsidentified and H him through which the pointed part is which the pointed part is passed andthen y squeezingfof the parts the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description, accom an i vdrawing and appended claims, 1

Tags of the presentinvention may be for earmarkers forcattle, for marking cat-F ,tle or h1des,,orother artlcles'or things, and as well may beused for permanent markers in connection with inanimate things whereit is marked. I i i I w Generally speaking, the invention con templates a inarkeror tag formed of a strip of metal having a pointed part at one end.

and adjacent the other end a 'coveredaperforced and therein clinched. and formed to permanently lock togetherthe endsofthe strip in a manner toprevent unlocking'or i removal' of the tag withoutbreaking some I partof it. i An exemplification of: the present invention is illustrated in ,the' accompanying} drawing and the; views thereof are; as follows: 7.

.Figure 1 illustrates an ear of an animal 7Y5 with a markerembodying principles of the .present invention applied to the same.

Figure 2 is-a plan view of the-finished marker prior .to bending into substantially U-shape for application to an article to befi marked. 7 Figure 3 is anenlarged longitudinalverti cal sectional view through a marker of the present invention, showing the relation of the parts withthep ointed part disposed ad: jacent the aperture, and in dotte d lin eg appearance of the partsafterthe pointedpart has been introduced into the cap immediately prior to deformation thereofby the 0 together to provide interlock.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view through a marker ofthe present invention showing the parts permanently fastened together after the pointed part has been forced .home within the cap.

stantially in thegplane of lineVI- LVI of 1100' out breaking.

Figure. 4 and'showing the mashed or deformed condition of the pointed part after it has been forced home within the cap and providing the enlargement preventing sepa present invention consists of a metal strip Ahaving formed at one end a narrowed portion 1 terminating in a pointed part 2 and,

near the other end, an aperture 3 On each side of the aperture 3 are slots 4: and 5 arranged one on each side of theaperture. The pointed part 2 is, in the manufacture of the illustratedembodiments of the tag, subjected to such action as to provide an enlargement which is pointed and'sharpened thus providing a piercing extremity or tipwider than the portion 1. f The pointed part 2 is weakened as by a perforation or hole 6. The lines defining the merger of the pointed part 2 With the portion or part 1 are'curved, as are the lines forming the merger, between the point 1 and the body of the strip A to prevent the formation of sharp shoulders or points or. existing obstructions when the marker is secured in position. 7

' The cap 7 of generally semi-circular form is provided with two lugs ,8 and 9 and is applied to astrip A by passing the lugs 8 and 9 throughthe slots 4 and 5, respectively, with the ends, of the lugsthen turned up so that the free ends thereof enter the aperture 3 and form guideways for the pointed part or piercing tip of the markeras the -piercing tip is forced into the cap.

The cap 7 has two indentations 10 and 11 formed iniany suitable manner, which indentations extend inwardly ofthe general contour of the cap and between them define what is herein termedas a pocket 12. The pocket 12 is disposed above the slot or aperture 3.

' The aperture or slot 3 is narrow and elongated and, preferably, extends transversely of the body of the tag. a

The tag is formed from the strip A by bending into-substantially U -shape and further bending the portion 1 so that the pointed part 2 is. directed generally towards the aperture 3 ready for entry through said aperture and into the cap 7 when the tag is applied; to an article, such as an animals ear, a hide, or any other article to be marked. The pointed part 2'is reduced in thickness, asmay be readily observed from Fig. 3 and 5, whichreduction in thickness provides a shoulder 13 to limit the approach ofthe arms of the tag when applied, to prevent squeezing of such arms.-

The'marker or tagof the present invention is'permanently secured to a'thing to be marked and cannot be removed unless some part of the tag is broken, thereby permanently destroying the tag and preventing its re-use. i I

There have been placed on the market tags, of the general character of that herein illustrated, wherein the pointed parts have been curled whenthe arms were forced together.

However, it has been found that unscrupulous persons may fraudulently remove such tags by prying apart the arms which-causes an uncurling of the curled pointed part, thereby enabling unauthorized re-use of the marker. I

The present invention provides an inter locking of the arms of the marker in such manner that some part of the markeror tag must be broken. to remove it after having a once been applied to an article.

The weakening of the pointed part2 as, 1 for example, by the provision of the. perforation 6, is one way .of making possible a tag wherein the-pointedpart may be mashed or deformed in such manner) as to provide an enlargement preventing withdrawal of the pointed end from within the. cap and thus preventing separation withoutbreaking of some part of the tag. I

The pointed portion 2 is reduced in thickness so that it may readily out .througl'i an article with minimum damage and more easily be deformedor mashed within the cap. All the cutting is done by the pointed part 2 and none by the part below it, that is, the part indicated at lin the drawing. 1

The tag of the present invention is applied to an article by bringing the over the article and then forcing the pointed part 2 through the aperture 3, and agains't the underside, of the cap 7 whereupon continuq ous pressure is applied to result in a mashing or deformation of the pointed part providof the pointed part from within the cap,

and thus effectively locking together the ends of the tag. This is accomplished byweakening the pointed part 2 as, for example, by

provision-of the perforation 6, and providing the pocket 12 in the cap 7 so that as the ends, of the tag are brought together the pointed part will be prevented from curling along the underside'of the cap because of 'ing an enlargement preventing withdrawal 7 the presence of such pocket 12 and thus be. restrained against movement in any direc tion except widthwise of the pointed part, that is, in a direction of the'length of the slot 3. The pointed portion 2 is, by this application of the tag, compressed so that the, pointed part becomes elongated, as may be observed in Fig. 6. This elongation or MA a etag willresult in breakage'of some part of the tag. The head or enlargement formed in the manner described might be broken or else the tag might be broken at the bend,

l gation thereof widthwise, so that there 1 is thus formed, during the squeezing together of the arms of the tag to the point controlled by the provision of the shoulder 18, an enlargement or head within the cap which positively prevents fraudulent removal of the tag without destruction of some part of the same. Fig. 6 illu'strates the elongation of the pointed part 2 after it has been deformed and mashed in the manner described and shows how this mashed'end is greater in length than the length of the slot 8 in the tag.

The end portion 1 preferably is reinforced by a rib 14 formed in it in any suitable manner. r

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A marking and sealing tag comprising a bent metal strip having a pointed portion at one end and a cap covered aperture near the other end for receiving the pointed pore tion, said cap being provided with means to prevent the curling of the pointed portion when the same is inserted in the cap, the pointed portion being bent within said cap when said tag is applied in marking or sealing position, said pointed portion having a hole in'it to weaken it so that when the weakened portion is bent within the cap an enlarged end is produced to prevent withdrawal of the point from within the cap without breaking the tag and thus preventing re-use of the tag.

2. A marking and sealing tag compris ing a bent metal strip having a point at one end and a narrow elongated aperture near the other end, a cap covering said aperture, the point being reduced in thickness and having a width substantially that of the length of the aperture, the cap having a pocket overlying the aperture for receiving the extremity of the point when the point is passed through the aperture and for preventing curling of the point within the cap as the point is forced into the cap, the point being weakened so as to be mashed against the cap as the point is forced into the cap and prevented from curling by said pocket, the mashing of the point in the manner' stated providing an enlargementl pre ventingremoval of the point from within .thecap without; breakingithe tag. a 1 r A marking and seallng tag comprlsing a bent metalrstrip having; a cap covered "aperture adjacent "one i end and a pointed 'part at the other end, the pointed'part: be-

ing reduced in thickness andperforated so 'Iastobe readily'deformed when forced into the cap, the cap being provided with a pocketflto receive; the pointed part, and prevent curlingthereof along the cap as said pointedpartiis forced home, the forcing home of said pointed part in a the pocket deforming it and. providing an .enlargement of the pointed part within the cap; to prevent rewithinjthe capwithout 5 breakingthe tag.-

1}. L Y i. A marking and sealing tag comprising azb entmetal strip fhaving one end; sharp- I ened and perforated -to provide'a piercing V 1 tip and havingsnear. its other end a cap moval thereof from covered opening/for receiving-the sharpened end, said cap having a pocket for "receiving said sharpened end forvpreventing the curling of said end alongsaid cap as it "is forced] into the cap, the perforation in the sharpened end enabling a niashinmand deformation of said: end as it is .fbroed 7 home, the deformed end preventing removal thereof from locking engagement within the cap without breaking-some part ,ofthe piercing tip, said pointed part having a;

width substantially that of the vlength of the slot and a thickness slightly less than the marking and, sealing tag coihprising a bent metal strip having near one end a width of the slot, the tag being applied by v forcing'the piercing tip through anarticle and into the cap through said aperture, the

cap pocket receiving the piercing tip and preventing curling thereof along the cap, the perforation weakening said tip so that application of force to introduce the tip within the cap causes deformation of the tip widthwis'e thereof thus providing a resulting enlargement greater than the length of the slot to prevent removal of the tip from within the cap without breaking some part of the tag. i

one end thrust through an article to be a. y a 2 6. A metal marker or tag adapted to have tagged and then interlocked withthe. other end of the tag, said one end havinga weak-' ened piercing tip which is deformable afterengagement with the other end of the tag, said other end being provided with means engageable by the piercing tip as the same is forced into engagement with said other endfor preventing curling of the ti wi z's liio 'in the tip-engaging means and for fore- {shortening and transversely enlarging said rovide an interlockingenlargement tip to thereo' precluding separation of the tag ends Without breaking the tag.

" 7. A- marking and sealing tag comprising a bent metal strip having one end sharpened V and weakened to provide a piercing tip and having near its, other end a cap covered opening for receiving the sharpened end, said cap having means for preventing the "curling of said sharpened end along sald cap as itis forced into said'ca'p, the Weakening of the sharpened end enabling a mashing and-deformation of said end as it is forced home, the deformed end preventing removal thereof "from looking engagement subscribed my name at Within the cap Without breaking some part .of the tag.

ing a bent metal strip having a cap covered aperture adjacent one end and a pointed part at the other'end, the pointed part being'reduced in thickness and being Weakene'd solas to loe readily deformed when I forcedinto the cap, said cap being provided Witha pocket to receive the pointed part and prevent curling thereof along the cap I as saidpointed part is forced home, the forcing home of said pointedpart in the pocket deforming it and providing an enlargement of the pointed part Within the cap to prevent removal thereof from Within the cap Without breaking the tag.

] In testimony whereof I have" hereunto Chicago, Cook County,' Illinois. r CHARLES E; 'TIMSON.

8. A markingand sealing tag compris 

